london 2012

Worth a thousand words—and counting

At the London Summer Games last year, we moved more than 45,000 photos to members and customers, capturing those moments of astonishing accomplishment that make the games so compelling. A lot goes into getting just the right shot, and AP photographers were resourceful in finding the best angles, the best locations and the best technology to nail the best images.

The big shot

Crowded around the perimeter of the women’s gymnastics competition with more than 150 other photographers, Greg Bull chose his position with great care, as he describes in this interview. It paid off. Bull got the defining image of the London Olympics: Gabby Douglas soaring high above the balance beam, en route to the gold medal in the women’s all-around.

A brave new world of photography

To shoot from unexpected perspectives during the London Games, our photo team sought out the expertise of former NASA engineers to help build AP’s first robotic camera systems. Developing, fine-tuning, installing and operating the cameras was a challenge, as the team tells it.

The pay-off

Of the more than 45,000 photos that AP took at the London Games, here are 28 of the best—including an underwater photo of U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps and an overhead photo of British boxer Nicola Adams, both shot with AP’s robotic camera system.

United States' Michael Phelps, left, touches the wall as South Africa's Chad le Clos closes in for second place during the men's 100-meter butterfly final at the Aquatics Centre in Olympic Park, Friday, Aug. 3, 2012.

China's Ren Cancan, red, is knocked down by Great Britain's Nicola Adams, blue, during their women's final flyweight 51-kg boxing match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. The photo was taken using AP’s innovative robotic camera system.

United States' Conor Dwyer, left, Michael Phelps, center, Ryan Lochte, second right, and Ricky Berens, right, pose with their gold medals after their win in the men's 4x200-meter freestyle relay at the Aquatics Centre in Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 31, 2012.

In this photo made using a fisheye lens, Jaime Azcarraga, of Mexico, rides his horse Gangster, in the equestrian show jumping team competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012, in London.

Australia's Elizabeth Cambage jams her finger into the eye of Russia's Natalya Vodopyanova while defending a drive to the basket during the women's bronze medal basketball game at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012.

Matthias Steiner of Germany gets hit by the weights while failing to make a successful lift in the men's over 105-kg, group A, weightlifting competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012.